1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of pitchers for serving iced beverages such as water, fruit juices, and soft drinks by pouring into individual smaller drinking containers such as glasses for consumption by persons. More specifically the present invention relates to a multiple spout pitcher for containing the beverage and ice floating in the beverage which allows selectively pouring the beverage alone or the beverage and ice contained therein into the drinking containers. The pitcher includes a side wall that is upwardly dependent from a bottom wall, the side wall terminating at an upper rim which defines an upper opening and an inner chamber. An ice restricting spout is formed radially outwardly from the side wall at the upper rim. The ice restricting spout has a restrictor to hold the ice back and keep the ice from exiting from the inner chamber while pouring the beverage. An ice passing spout is formed radially outwardly from the side wall disposed about ninety-degrees from the ice restricting spout at the upper rim which allows the ice as well as the beverage to exit simultaneously from within the inner chamber.
The preferred pitcher includes a handle which extends radially outwardly from the side wall diametrically opposite the ice restricting spout to facilitate picking up the pitcher container by hand. The ice passing spout and the ice restricting spout are each of an upwardly open, rounded V-shaped cross-section. The restrictor comprises a pair of oppositely disposed, inwardly extending restrictor flaps which extend inwardly at an upward angle. The ice passing spout is larger and wider than the ice restricting spout, being disposed about ninety-degrees to the left of the handle as held in-hand for right-handed persons and disposed about ninety degrees to the right of the handle as held in-hand for left-handed persons. A second ice passing spout may be disposed diametrically opposite the ice passing spout disposed about ninety-degrees to the left and right of the handle to facilitate use by both right-handed and left-handed persons. The bottom wall, the side wall, and the handle are integrally molded together.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Beverages such as water, lemonade, fruit punch, soft drinks, and the like are commonly served from open topped pitchers and pitchers that are closeable by an pivoting attached lid or a removable lid. Open topped pitchers typically include a body comprised of a bottom wall and upwardly dependent wall of a cylindrical or other configuration having a top rim which defines an upper opening of an inner chamber thereof to contain a beverage with or without ice. The pitcher includes an outwardly extending handle for gripping in-hand and an outwardly projecting pouring spout disposed diametrically opposite the handle. The pouring spout directs the beverage from within the pitcher into a drinking glass or other individual serving container. Other pitchers have a lipless pouring spout comprising an outlet opening which does not direct the beverage from within the pitcher into the drinking glass. Many beverages are iced by having a plurality of ice cubes floating therein. It is desirable to have a pitcher which permits selectively pouring of the beverage along with ice cubes, or the beverage alone with the ice cubes remaining within the pitcher. Therefore, pitchers which have ice restricting pouring spouts or with ice barriers disposed ahead of the pouring spout have been developed.
The ice restricting pouring spouts may include a restrictor incorporated into the pouring spout to restrict the outward flow of ice. The ice restricting pouring spout is typically disposed diametrically opposite a handle extending outwardly from the pitcher to facilitate pouring by both left-handed and right-handed persons. When desired to pour both the beverage and ice, the server typically must pour the beverage and ice over the non-spouted sides of the pitcher. This results in an uncontrolled flow of the beverage into the drinking glass with considerable spillage outside the drinking glass.
An ideal pitcher containing a beverage with floating ice would provide the server the choice of pouring the beverage alone, without ice, or the beverage with ice depending on the desire of the person being served the beverage. Various pitchers have thus been developed in an attempt to provide such a choice. For example, a multi-spouted serving pitcher is disclosed in Kessler et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,224 issued on Sep. 18, 1990. The pitcher includes a shell body having a base at one end and a vertical shell wall with an open upper edge at an opposite end. An inwardly disposed spill guard at the upper edge facilitates spill-resistant serving of a beverage contained in the pitcher by retaining splashing and sloshing of the contained beverage. One portion of the upper edge of the shell wall is shaped to define an outwardly projecting pouring spout that is covered by the spill guard except for a triangular pouring hole through which the beverage may be poured, but which restricts the flow of ice cubes. The shell wall is extended outwardly from the remainder of the shell body and angled downwardly from the plane of the remaining spoutless portion of the upper edge. At least one outlet opening is defined by a notch in the rim of the spill guard positioned transverse to the pouring spout. A handle is disposed on the exterior of the shell body opposite the pouring spout. An auxiliary hand grip comprises a plurality of raised vertical ribs disposed on the exterior surface of the shell body. The pitcher provides a choice of restricted ice-free liquid delivery from the pouring spout and free flowing iced liquid delivery from the outlet opening.
The pitcher disclosed in Kessler et al. has several disadvantages. Firstly, the triangular pouring hole of the pouring spout blocks the flow of the beverage along with the ice cubes, causing the beverage to be directed in undesired directions and spillage. Secondly, the outlet opening does not permit sufficient directional flow of the beverage and ice cubes due to the lack of a pouring spout. Finally, the pitcher is difficult to properly clean due to the inwardly disposed spill guard which obstructs the entrance to the inner chamber for cleaning the interior thereof.
Another attempt to provide a pitcher which gives the server the option of pouring the beverage alone or the beverage with ice is McMillan, III, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,953 issued on Mar. 1, 1994. McMillan, III, et al. reveals a pitcher having a projecting front spout for the pouring of the beverage contained therein disposed near the base of the pitcher, and two side chutes for the pouring of a combination of the beverage and ice. The pitcher comprises a bottom wall and a side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall having a top edge. A handle extends outwardly from the side wall. A first elongate chute tapers outwardly from the side wall opposite the handle, starting at the bottom wall and extending to the top edge and terminating at a downwardly angled, outlet opening. The first chute has a removable strainer plate having a plurality of lower slots which permits the beverage but not the ice to flow through, being slidably mounted in a pair of longitudinal grooves extending downwardly from the top edge for preventing ice cubes floating in the beverage contained in the pitcher from entering the first chute. A second elongate chute tapers outwardly from the side wall between the handle and the first chute, starting at the bottom wall and extending to the top edge and terminating at a downwardly angled, outlet opening. The second chute has a size and shape for aligning a series of the ice cubes as the pitcher is tilted, dispensing the beverage and ice cubes together from the second chute. It is stated that the pitcher permits the beverage alone without ice cubes may be poured from the first chute, and the beverage with ice cubes may be poured from the second chute.
The pitcher disclosed in McMillan, III, et al. also has several disadvantages. Firstly, the first chute is prone to blockage unless ice cubes of a uniform, predetermined size are used such that a linear progression of the ice cubes is maintained within the first chute. Otherwise, the flow of the beverage is either completely blocked, or partially blocked causing the beverage to be directed in undesired directions and spillage. Secondly, the downwardly angled, outlet openings do not permit sufficient directional flow of the beverage alone or the beverage with ice cubes due to the lack of a pouring spout. Thirdly, the pitcher is more difficult and expensive to mold than necessary due to the use of the chutes, and the removable strainer which must be separately molded and the pitcher be molded with the sliding grooves. Finally, the pitcher is difficult to properly clean due to the convoluted interior shape and dirt-accumulating right-angle edges thereof.
There is a need for a multiple spout pitcher for containing a beverage and ice floating in the beverage which allows selectively pouring the beverage alone or the beverage and ice contained therein into a smaller drinking container which 1) has an ice restricting spout that does not unduly block the flow of the beverage along with the ice cubes; 2) has an ice restricting spout and a ice passing spout that permit good directional flow of the respective beverage alone or the beverage with ice cubes regardless of the uniformity and size of the ice cubes; 3) that is designed with a mostly uniform cross-section which is easy and inexpensive to mold, comprising a single unitary piece rather than multiple pieces which must be separately molded and assembled together; and 4) that is readily cleanable, having an unobstructed access to the inner chamber and a non-convoluted interior shape with no dirt-accumulating right-angle edges or sliding grooves.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a multiple spout pitcher that has an ice restricting spout which does not unduly block the flow of the beverage along with the ice cubes.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a multiple spout pitcher that has an ice restricting spout and a ice passing spout that permit good directional flow of the respective beverage alone or the beverage with ice cubes regardless of the uniformity and size of the ice cubes.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a multiple spout pitcher that is designed with a mostly uniform cross-section which is easy and inexpensive to mold, comprising a single unitary piece rather than multiple pieces which must be separately molded and assembled together.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a multiple spout pitcher that is readily cleanable, having an unobstructed access to the inner chamber and a non-convoluted interior shape with no dirt-accumulating right-angle edges or sliding grooves.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a multiple spout pitcher that is equally useable by both left-handed and right-handed persons.
The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives, as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification.
A multiple spout pitcher is provided for containing a beverage and ice floating in the beverage which allows selectively pouring the beverage alone or the beverage and ice contained therein into a smaller drinking container including a bottom wall defining a bottom plane for placement on a flat support surface, at least one side wall upwardly dependent from the bottom wall terminating at an upper rim which defines an upper opening and an inner chamber, an ice restricting spout formed radially outwardly from the side wall at the upper rim and having a restrictor to hold the ice back and keep the ice from exiting from the inner chamber while pouring the beverage, and an ice passing spout formed radially outwardly from the side wall at the upper rim and adapted to allow the ice as well as the beverage to exit simultaneously from within the inner chamber.
The pitcher preferably has a single cylindrical side wall upwardly dependent from the bottom wall, the bottom wall, the upper rim, and the upper opening being circular, and the inner chamber being cylindrical. The bottom wall is substantially flat, and the cylindrical side wall is upwardly dependent from an outer periphery of the bottom wall. A handle extends radially outwardly from the side wall to facilitate picking up the pitcher container by hand. The bottom wall, the side wall, and the handle are integrally molded together. The ice passing spout and the ice restricting spout are each of an upwardly open, rounded V-shaped cross-section. The ice restricting spout is disposed diametrically opposite the handle with the restrictor comprising a pair of oppositely disposed, inwardly extending restrictor flaps which extend inwardly at an upward angle. The ice passing spout is larger and wider than the ice restricting spout, disposed about ninety-degrees to the left of the handle as held in-hand for right-handed persons and disposed about ninety degrees to the right of the handle as held in-hand for left-handed persons. A second ice passing spout may be disposed diametrically opposite the ice passing spout disposed about ninety-degrees to the left and right of the handle to facilitate use by both right-handed and left-handed persons.